Method of molding



Fell 22, 1944. c. v. SMITH 2,342,378 MTHOD OF HOLDING l Filed Aug. 2v,l 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 .EEE

43 v I A Emmi-Iier y my u CHARLES msfvurn? 42s .1 fa/5W 67%,1

Feb.. 22, 1944. C, v sMnl-H 2,342,378

METHOD OF l HOLDING Filed Aug. 27, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I 115.5. fl

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, 4 7 CHARLES msn/n4, p1 '.1

@wl L Patented Feb. 22, 1944 METHOD or nomma u Charles V. Smith, Dayton, Ohio, assigner The Univis Lens Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 27, 1940, Serial No. 354,385

(ci. 1s55i 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a method for producing articles of optical perfection from synthetic resinous materials.

There have been previous attempts to produce true optical articles by forming blanks of resinous material into the shape of a lens or a plano. However, many of these former attempts have not been wholly satisfactory, since the surface finish of the lens or plano was not as perfect -as it should be. Further, the lenses have contained strain, which can be referred to as optical strain, of sufficient value that the optical properties of the lens or plano were effected. In the previous attempts the lens or plano was formed in a single operation. 'This single operation generally producedoptical strain of suicient value to impair the optical properties of the lens or planol specifically resulting in bi-refringence. Also, it has not been entirely impractial to form a lens in a single mold since the movement of the surface of the blank of resinous material has been eiected deleteriously. y

The forming dies for altering the conguration of a blank of resinous material into the shape of a lens or an optical plano, have been made from various materials, each of which have had certain disadvantages. To form a lens or plano in metal dies solely, it has been very diflicult to produce a surface nish of sumcient optical perfection. The surface of the lens or plano formed in a single metal die has resulted in a surface which ispitted or wavy, since it has not been possible to produce a perfect surface upon the metal. While the imperfections are slight and imperceptible to the eye, yet they are of suiiicient value to destroy the optical perfection of the surface of the lens or plano.

Glass dies have been tried for completely forming a lens or plano in a single operation. Many of the synthetic resins which have favorable optical characteristics have a considerable laffinity for glass. Hence, when blanks of resinous material have been formed in glass dies to g form a lens or plano, the resinous material has tended to adhere to the surface of the glass die,

cient value to destroy the optical properties of the material.

lI'he materials which have previously been used, and which have particular affinity for.

glass, have been those organic resins which are produced by the polymerization of the mono-l meric derivatives of acrylic or methacrylic acids. The substances used are commonly known to the trade as Plexiglas, Lucite, Crystalite, and others.

It is thus an object of my invention to provide a method for producing an optical article such as a lens or plano, having a surface which is of high optical perfection.

It is another object of my invention to provide a method for producing an optical article having high surface optical perfection by forming the article in a succession of forming dies.

by a succession of forming operations, the earlier this retards the movement of the' material within the die and results in imperfections upon the. surface of the finished lens or plano. Also, the adhesion of the plastic to the glass has been sufilcient to retard the surface movement of the plastic thereover to an extent that the internal mass of the blank of resinous material has been moved without noticeable surface movement.

This action causes internal movement of the'- blank to an extent that produces strain of sufof which are carried out in metal dies and the last operation of which is carriedl out in a glass surfaced die.

It is another object of the invention to produce a lens or plano having surfaces of substantially true optical curvature within metal dies and to produce an optical surface finish for the lens or plano within glass dies.

It is still a further object of this invention to produce a lens or plano by a succession of forming operations, each of which is complete with a heating, forming and cooling operation, each of the operations bringing the lens or plano to a greater degree of accuracy of surface of optical curvature. l

A- still further object of the invention is to produce a lens or plano from a blank of synthetic resin in a succession oi complete forming operations consisting of heating, forming and cooling, each successive forming operation bringing the lens or plano to a greater degree of accuracy at each successive heating, relieving to some extent the stress developed by the previous forming operation. n n Further objects and advantages will be appar'. ent from the description and thedrawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatical representation of a system for producing a lens or plano according to the teachings of this invention,

Figure 2 is a perspective view, partially in crosssection, of a cast metal die,

Figure 3 is a perspective view, partially in crosssection, of a metal die having a highly finished surface of optical curvature,

Figure 4 is a perspective view, partially in crosssection, of aglass die for producing the finished .-'urface of optical curvature,

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional View of a modication of the die of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a further modification of the die of Figure 4,

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a third modification of the die of Figure 4,

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 8 8 of Figure 9, showing the grouping of a plurality of forming dies.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 8, and

Figure 1D is an elevational perspective view l of a modified form of die arrangement wherein the individual dies are adjustable in height.

In this invention, I provide a plurality of molds or dies which form a companion set for forming a blank of resinous material into a lens or plano by a succession of forming operations. In general, I provide a die I0, provided with a face having an optical curvature. A resilient member i2 is positioned above the die I 0 and is arranged for contacting the die I0 to provide pressure upon a blank of resinous material positioned therebetween. This die l0 provides a rough pre forming of the blank of resinous material to a Vcurvature somewhat approaching the curvature of the surface of a lens or plano. The blank of resinous material which has been pre-formed in the die i0, can subsequently be more accurately formed within the cast dies i5, the dies IE having a highly finished surface of optical curvature, and the finishing glass dies IT.

The die l0 and the resilient member i2, as well as the dies I5, IS and I1, are positioned within suitable' presses which consist of a lower die carrying member 20 and an upper die carry ing member 2l. The die carrying member 20 is positioned upon the end of a reciprocating plunger 22, which in turn is secured to a diaphragm motor 23.

The die carrying .members 20 and 2| are provided with suitable passages therein for the circulation of a heating or cooling uid therethrough. The heating or cooling huid is circulated through the supply pipe 24. The fluid circulating through the supply pipe 2l is conducted to the die carrying members 20 and 2| by means of the conduits 25 and the branch conduits 26 and 21. The fluid circulates through the die carrying members 20 and 2i, and discharges through the return conduit 28, whichcommunicates with a return conduit 28. The supply line 24 may be alternately supplied with heating and cooling fluid according to the cycle oi' operation of the pressing molds supplied thereby.I The entire group of companion molds may operate within a single cycle of operation wherein all of the molds heat, form and cool simultaneously, or a suitable valve arrangement and supply pipe system can be arranged to permit each of the presses to operate as a complete individual unit. In either case, the cycle of operation of the presa will be the same. and will not effect the sequen- A tial or successive forming operations upon a blank of resinous material which is altered in shape to form a lens or plano. l

The diaphragm motors 23 are connected to a source of pressure supply, such as the conduit 30. The branch lines 3l for each of the air motors 23, are provided with a valve 32 which may be either manually or automatically con-V trolled.

The dies i5 consist of a pair of metal castings i5a and i511 in which a surface of optical curvature 35 is provided in the die I5a. The surface of optical curvature 35 is cut to the desired curvature for the desired side of the curvature of a lens or plano. The die half l5b cooperating with the die half 15a is provided with the cooperating surface of optical curvature for producing a lens or plano. The optical curvature given the surface 35 and the cooperating surface of the die I5b is substantially the curvature which will produce a lens o`r plano into a 'substantially finished formed optical article. The surface of the cast metal dies, however, is not sufficiently perfect to provide a surface finish upon the blank of resinous material which has been formed therein. Also, since the cast metal dies l5 provide the first step of accurate formation, the exactness of the lens or plano need not be true within these dies. The purpose of the dies being to provide the greatest physical alteration required in thc formation of the lens or plano, and move the greatest mass of material.

Subsequent forming operations will provide the desired degree of mathematical accuracy to the surface of optical curvature of the lens or plano, and provide a surface finish for the same. The dies I6 which consist of a pair of metal dies |6a and IGb are provided with a surface of optical curvature 36. The surface of optical curvature 3S is a highly finished metal surface, and may be provided by plating a very dense and hard metal, such as chromium, upon the surface which forms the surface of optical curvature. The chromium surface of the accurately cut surface of optical curvature 36 may be subsequently polished to provide a high degree of accuracy and smoothness. The dies I6, if desired, can be made from a hard steel and the surface of optical curvature being accurately ground thereon and subsequently polished.

The blank of resinous material which has been formed in the dies i5 is placed within the dies I8 for a further forming operation. The polished face of the surface of optical curvature of the dies I6 will bring the blank of resinous material more nearly to the degree of mathematical accuracy desired forthesurface of the lens or plano. Also, the high degree of finish of the dies will impart a higher degree of finish of optical perfection upon the surface of the blank of resinous material. However, since even the highly polished surface of the dies I6 is porous and somewhat wavy, the surface finish of the desired optical perfection is not obtainable in these dies.

vThe dies I1 which consist of the die members ila and Ilb are' constructed of glass. The die member Ila having a surface of optical curvature 31 thereon. The glass dies il can be ground to the exacting degree of mathematical accuracy required for the production of complicated lenses,

and can be polished to the extremely high degree required to produce a surface finish upon thel After the blank of resinous material has been pre-unished inthe dies I6, it is pressed within the dies Il and formed therein to the exacting requirements of a highly accuratelens.

While the dies I1 ch be made from glass blocks, yet it is also possible that the dies I1 can be made from metal blocks which are either surfaced with a glass face or have glass inserts positioned therein. Such modied arrangements are shown by Figures 5 to I inclusive, wherein the die Il of Figure 5 consists of a metal base member et' with a glass face 4I positioned therein. The modification of Figure 6 consists of a metal base 2 having 'a glass insert 43 which is loosely positioned within a recess in the base 2. The glass insert 3 is provided with the desired surface of optical curvature M. The modincation of Figure is substantially the same as that of Figure 6 except that themetal base 2a is a metal which has the same coeflicient of expansion as glass, sa that the insert 43 can be secured permanently to the base 42a.

To produce a lens or optical plano from a blank of resinous material by the teachings of the method of this invention, a blank of material of the proper size and thickness is positioned upon the die IG. Pressure is applied to the air motor 23 by operation of the valve 32, whereby the plunger 22 moves the die Il into engagement with the rubber or resilient pad I2. Heat is applied to the die carrying members 2G and 2l whereby the temperature of the blank of resinous material upon the die Ib is elevated to a temperature determined by the temperature of the fluid circulating through the die carrying members 26 and 2i. The rate of pressure application applied upon the resinous blank ls controlled in accordance with a predetermined rate. This rate Is determined by the temperature at which the blank is to be formed, and is determined to be the rate which will not produce deleterious optical strain within the blank during the forming operation. This optical strain is not of the same character normally thought of in connection with stress, but rather is of a character which causes s. displacement of the optical paths through the blank of resinous material. The blank may be altered in physical shape and contain stress without containing the optical strain of sufficient value as to impair the optical properties of the blank of resinous material. Thus, the blank may be pre-formed to a shape which begins to approach the shape of a lens or plano between the die III and the resilient pad I2.

After a determined interval of formation. cooling fluid may be circulated through the die carrying members 20 and 2l for reducing the temperature of rthe blank of resinous material below a' temperature at which it would have a tendency to return to its normal unformed condition. If desired, the die carrying members 20 and 2| may be permitted to reduce in temperature, merely by stopping the flow of heating fluid. The blank of resinous material as removed from between the die Il and the resilient pad I2, has a curvaturethereon imparted thereto by the die III. However.

the blank of resinous material will contain a cer-' The pre-formed blank of resinous material re` moved from the die I D is placed within the dies I E. Since the formed blank contains internal stress produced by the previous forming operation, the dies I5 are closed upon the formed blank and a pressure applied thereupon by means of the diaphragm motor 23a. Since the formed blank is placed within the dies I5 in a cold condition, the order of pressure which canbe applied upon the dies is relatively light to prevent any alteration of the physical shape of the blank while cold; However, upon heating the blank to elevate its temperature to permit forming thereof within the dies I5, the pressure applied to the die must be increased to prevent the formed blank from attempting to return to its normal pre-formed condition due to the tendency of relief of internal stress upon heating. At this point, however, it must be observed that the pressure which' is applied to the blank of resinous material is of an order which is determined to produce a rate of formation of the blank which will not create optical strain. After the pressure vhas increased upon the dies I5 to a point which balances the tendency of the blank to return to normal position, the dies I5 will cause a further formation of the blank of resinous material. As heretofore mentioned, the dies I5 are provided Wlth surfaces of optical curvature which approximate the surfaces of optical curvature to be produced upon the lens or plano.v Thus, the dies I5 are arranged to produce the greatest mass movement of the blank of resinous material and provide the substantially correct surface of curvature upon the blank. 'I'he pressure increase upon the dies I5 is governed in accordance with the aforementioned predetermined rate of formation so that when the blank is completely formed within the dies I5, there will be substantially no optical strain, although there may be some stress.

Since synthetic resinous materials are all accompanied by the characteristic of plastic flow. it can readily be seen that the second heating of a formed blank will have a tendency to relieve the stress of forming from the previous operation, since the normal tendency of the material will be to flow upon a re-heating as long as there is stress within the blank of material. While the stress of the previous forming operation may be substantially relieved during the early portion of the second operation, additional stress is added by the additional forming operation so that the blank of resinous material leaves the second forming operation with stres's, but substantially no optical strain.l

Upon completion of the forming operation, the

dies I5 may be cooled to permit the blank to reduce in temperature below a temperature at which it would tend to return to the normal pre-formed condition, whereby the blank may be removed from the dies.

Upon removal of the blank of resinous material from the dies Il, the approximate curva.- ture of ,the lens or plano has been imparted thereto, however, as previously stated. the cast dies I5 cannot impart a surface finish to a blank of resinous material of sufficiently high degree to satisfy optical requirements. Hence, the formed blank is then placed within the dies I6. 'I'hese dies, as previously described. are provided with a highly nlshed metal surface and are of considerably more accurate curvature than the pre-I vious dies I5. The dies Il form the blank of resinous materialto the new form of curvature vof the dies I6, and upon heating therein, tend to relieve the stress of forming of the previous operation. Since the die I6 is not for the purpose of moving large masses of material, the stress relief within this die is considerably greater than en countered in the dies I5. At this point of for ng, the blank of resinous material has substant ally the exact curvature of a lens or plano. The surface finish however, is still insuflicient for optical perfection.

The forming operations to this point, have been accomplished in metal dies, since the heat transfer of metal dies is considerably higher than through any other form of material, and can more uniformly apply heat to a blank of resinous material, which. uniformity is particularly noticeable for lenses having varying thicknesses of material in various portions thereof.

The blank of resinous material is hereafter placed within dies having surfaces of optical curvature which are faced with glass, or the die itself can be constructed of glass. Normally glass is.not a successful medium for forming resinous material, since the material has an affinity for the glass when any large mass of material is moved. The affinity ofthe resin for the glass has resulted in internal mass movement in the blank without substantial surface movement causing undesired strain which impaired the optical properties of the material. However, the glass surfaced die does impart an extremely high finish upon a surface of a blank of resinous material if there is substantially no movement of the surface of the material Awithin the die. Hence. the glass die is used for the purpose of providing a surface finish upon the blank of resinous material.

Since the blank of resinous material passes through the same cycle of heating, formation and cooling, as described with regard the die I5, and since the glass dies are not for the `purpose of making any substantial correction upon the optically curved surfaces of the blank of resinous material. it may be seen that the heating cycle of the last operation will have a tendency to relieve the stress to a greater degree than either of the previous forming operations.

To provide an apparatus for conveniently carrying out the purposes of this invention, and since the rate of pressure application upon the dies in the various stages of formation of the resinous blank is substantially equal, I can pro-l vide an arrangement wherein the pressure upon all the molds is insured of being applied at an equal rate at all times. I have previously described the method of producing a lens or plano with regard four different steps of operation. It is of course conceivable that any one of the intermediate steps can be eliminated. It is even conceivable that the process may be produced by the use of only two steps, namely, the forming of the blank of resinous material by mass movement of the material within metal dies, and polishing or surface nnishing the thus formed blank within glass d-ies or glass surfaced dies.

In the arrangement for producing even distribution of forming pressure upon the various dies of a companion set, I provide preferably for the use of the cast dies I5. the plated dies I6, and the glass dies I1. In this arrangement, the dies I5, I6 and I`I have their lower halves ISG, IGa and Ila positioned upon a base 60 of a press. 'Ihe upper halves r I 5b, I 6b and I'Ib are suspended from a movable press platen BI by means of ball and socket joints 62. The movable press platen I is connected 'to the press plunger G3 by means of a ball and socket joint 64. The dies I5, IB and I'I are arranged upon the base 6I! of the press in a manner that their central vertical axes pass through the apexes of an equilateral triangle. Thus, when the press platen 6I is moved downwardly carrying the upper halves of the dies into engagement with the lower halves, the pressure applied by the plunger 63 will be evenly distributed between the three dies I5, I6 and I1 respectively.

To prevent axial mis-alignment of the upper halves of the dies, with respect the lower halves thereof, a pair of vertical guide rods 65 is provided for each of the movable dies I5b, IGb and Ilb. These guide rods extend through ears $6 extending from the respective movable die halves I5b, ISD and I'Ib, whereby the movable die halves are guided in their vertical axial relation with respect the lower or stationary die halves ISGl Isa and Ila, This arrangement has particular merit with regard applcants method of producing lenses in that three blanks of resinous material can be simultaneously formed in different steps of formation, insuring that the pressure of formation and the rate of pressure application upon the resinous lens blank will be identically the same for all or the steps of formation of the particular lens.

As a modified arrangement for providing even distribution of pressure between other pluralities of die members, I provide a die carrying platen I0 (see Figure 10) which carries a plurality of stationary die members 1I. These die members 'II are provided with threaded extending portions 12 which engage threaded openings 13 in the die carrying platen 10. The dies II may bel adjusted vertically to bring them all to substantially the same height, consideration being given the slight varying distance of the lens which can be formed within the various die members. Set

screws I4 are provided to retain the dies 'II and properly adjust their positions.

While the form and embodiment of the invention has been described with regard specific apparatus, the invention is not to be limited except as to means and apparatus coming within the purview of the claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A method for producing a. precision optical article having a surface of optical curvature from a solid blank of polymerized resinous material which consists, of moving the mass of a solid blank of material to a major extent within a metal die to form a lens having the proper lens curvature, and of subsequently moving the surface of the formed lens within a glass die to provide an optical curvature and surface finish of finishing exactness upon the lens.

2. A method for producing a surface of optical perfection upon a solid blank of resinous material to form an optical article which consists, of first altering the physical shape of a solid blank of resinous material to produce a lens curvature on the surface thereof by pressing the same between optically curved surfaces to move the mass of the blank a major amount to cause the same to conform to the shape of the surfaces, of removing the formed blank from between the forming surfaces and placing the same between optically curved finishing surfaces, and of pressing the physically changed blank between the finishing surfaces to produce a slight surface movement of the blank to produce a surface of optical perfection.

3. A method for producing a surface of optical perfection upon a solid blank of resinous material to form an optical article which consists, of first altering the physical shape of a solid blank of resinous material to produce a lens curvature on the surface thereof by pressing the same between metal dies to move the mass of the blank a major amount and cause the surface of the mass to conform -to the lens curvature of the dies, and of pressing the physically changed blank between glass surfaces having a lens curvature to cause a slight surface movement of the blank to produce a surface of optical perfection.

4. A method for producing an optical article having a precision optical surface from a solid blank of resinous material which consists of moving the mass of a solid blank of resinous material to a major extent between die surfaces to form an optical article having the desired shape, and of subsequently moving substantially the surface only of the formed optical article between die surfaces having' a surface finish of optical exactness to impart the optically exact surface finish upon the optical article.

5. A method for producing a precision optical article from a solid blank of resinous material which consists of moving the mass of the solid blank of resinous material to a major extent within a metal die to form the solid blank of resinous material into the shape of the desired optical article, and of subsequently moving the surface of the optical 'article so formed within a glass die to provide a surface finish of optical exactness upon the article.

6. A method for producing an optical article having a surface of optical exactness from a sequently moving substantially the surface onlyof the formed optical article between surfaces of optical exactness to impart a surface finish of optical exactness upon the article.

8. A method for producing a precision optical article from a solid blank of resinous material which consists of heating a solid blank of resinous material, of applying pressure upon the heated blank of material by means of die surfaces hauling the contour of the desired optical article to move the mass of the heated blank to a major extent to change the physical shape thereof, of cooling the formed article, of reheating the formed article, of moving substantially the surface only of the formed optical article by die surfaces having a surface nnish of optical exactness to impart an optically exact surface finish upon the article, and of cooling the article.

9. A method for producing a precision optical article from a solid blank of resinous material which consists of heating a solid blank of resinous material until sufficiently plastic to permit a change in the physical shape thereof, of moving the mass of the heated blank of material to a major extent between die surfaces at a rate less than that which produces a change in the index of refraction of the material to form a desired optical article, of cooling the formed optical article, and of subsequently moving substantially the surface only of the formed optical article by means of surfaces of optical exactness to provide a surface nish upon the optical article of optical exactness.

10. A method for producing a precision optical article from a solid blank of resinous material which consists of heating a solid blank of resinous material until suiliciently plastic to permit a change in the physical shape thereof, of moving the mass of the heated blank of material to a maior extent' between die surfaces at a rate less than that which produces a change in the index of refraction of the material to form a desired optical article, of cooling the formed optical article, of heating the formed optical article until the surface thereof is sufficiently plastic to permit movement thereof, of moving substantially the surface only of the heated optical article with a surface having an optically exact surface nlsh-to impart an optically exact surface nish upon the optical article, and of cooling the optical article.

11. A method for producing a precision optical article from a solid blank of resinous material so which consists of heating a solid blank of resin- '1. A method for producing an optical article having a surface of optical exactness from a solid blank of resinous material which consists of moving the mass of the solid blank of resinous material to a major extent between die surfaces to formthe solid blank of resinous material into a desired optical shape, of causing the movement of the mass of the resinous material during the major movement thereof to be at a rate less than 5 that which produces a change in the index of refraction of the resinous material but greater than the normal rate of plastic now of the resinous material, and of subsequently moving substantially the surface only of the formed optical article between surfaces of optical exactness to impart a surface finish of optical wetness upon the article.

ous material until the material is sufficiently plas- -tic to permit alteration of the physical shape thereof, of moving the mass of the heated blank of resinous material to a major extent between to that of a desired optical article. of cooling the formed optical article, of heating the formed optical article until its surface ls sufficiently plastic to permit movement thereof while retained between die surfaces having a finish of optical exactness and a contour of the optical article to prevent alteration of the shape of the optical article during heating thereof. and of moving substantially the surface only of the optical ara ticle with the surface of optical exactness to impart s surface finish upon the artide of optical exactncs's.

CHARLES V. SEITE 

